Fifty Shades of GREEN

Fifty Shades of GREEN

            The week was full of so much mother nature one could die. I last left you as I was on a plane to Portugal. It was in Porto I was reunited with my honey bees. It’s weird that being away from the people on this program for even a few days. Let me tell you that these people are not a FORMALITY. (inside joke) But it was great and from there we flew to the island of bliss. SAO MIGUEL is the island where you can see mountains and a beach all in one day. When we landed it was a bliss. We crammed 6 people into a 4-person fiat and made our way our air B&B. I think the only thing that was wrong about this trip was the shower in the Airbnb. Let’s just say only one can person can shower every hour or so because the water doesn’t drain. But we didn’t let this small issue dampen our style. We spent the first day going to a beach, spear fighting (que morocco), trying to rent kayaks, and ending it all in thermal baths. Thermal Baths are the place to be!! You walk in feeling like a 90-year-old woman and walk out feeling like a just born baby.

Night fell only for the sun to rise on another beautiful day. A day of hiking, I was originally against this idea. But let me tell you it was the most beautiful and fun Hike I have ever been on. Everywhere we looked was utterly gorgeous. Words can’t possibly describe the views. There are only so many ways you can describe how beautiful the island was but luckily we have pictures.  You know what they say about pictures, they tell a thousand words. This is the moment I wish I took more photos. We then planned our next day to be even better than the rest. An ATV tour of the island, and let me tell you I ALMOST DIED! Thank you JACK! Not even ten minutes into our ride, Jack was driving and he of course hit a rock. Which then proceeded to cause our ATV to roll over. I then decide it was time for a woman to drive. I might have driven a little slower than the others but at least I wouldn’t risk crushing or breaking another bone. ( I have broken 6 bones and I don’t want to break another) The rest of the tour went smoothly, we ate lunch and hiked more of the island. Sadly, our time had come to an end.

The next morning, we flew out to Lisbon for the day of adventuring. We took a walking tour through Alfama, and it was the most memorable part of spring break. We got to interact with the locals and truly experience what is like to live in Alfama. Here is a quick glimpse into our day in Alfama. As our tour guide said “ In Alfama they have the best security systems in all of the world. It’s called, Old lady’s watching out of their windows.” It was true as we stopped on different corners you would look up and see another lady pop out of her window. We ate by the river and as night fell we hopped on to an overnight bus to Madrid.

This bus was colder than Antarctica and I might have spelt chocolate milk (thanks Shannon) Madrid is a beautiful Busy city. We arrived on a protest day so that was interesting to say the least. Took a LOOOONNNGGG walking tour, not the best one we have ever take in my opinion. We went to a buffet, and I am not usually a fan of buffets. But this place was classy and had it all. From the chicken to Paella, the flan and even eye candy. It was a dream land come true, especially because we skipped lunch that day and walked so much. We spent the night on the town to really see what Madrid’s nightlife really is all about. As I recall some thrived and some died. All the girls thrived and split from the boys, we followed a drag queen around for a little, went to a food market, and got slightly lost but made it home. Only to rise with sun and head out to the flea market at El Rostro. It was a blast haggling for a good barging and practicing my Spanish. We spent the rest of our day seeing the palace, getting street tacos, eating churros with chocolate, buying candy and drinking milkshakes. Needless to say after this trip I went on a diet from all the chucky stuff I had eaten. By the time we knew it we were back in Bonn sitting in a history of medicine lecture. It was then when I realized that the past week felt like a dream and that I never want to wake up.

End note: I am not saying spring break was a contest but if there was one. WE WON!! 

(Pictured all the greenery and proof of the beauty.)

Lessons learned:

Don’t be a stump @ Lexie

Jack is an awful driver

Hiking is all the rage

Follow the drag to the best places

Adidas super stars are not proper hiking shoes

XOXO,

GOING GERMAN